BY SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
A Cleric, Rev. Fr. Christian Onyigbuo, says death is a reality, urging mortals to remember and do all to prepare for transition.
Onyigbuo gave the admonition on Friday in his sermon at the Burial Mass of Late Ma Susan Uzoamaka Iloafunsi (90) in St. Paul’s Ancient Parish, Eke in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State.
The cleric said that death remained inevitable for every mortal and could come at anytime unexpected, adding: “The only remedy remains living a righteous life and ensuring peace with God.”
“Recently, I had a ghastly accident that should have ended my life about a month ago, but God in His infinite mercy miraculously delivered me.
“From that experience, I learnt that death can come at anytime and the difference we can make is how prepared we are while answering our transition call.
“Everyone should strive to live a righteous life and be at peace with God as we can depart at an unannounced time,” he said.
Onyigbuo, who is also the Parish Priest of St. Peter Parish, Akama Ngwo, described late Ma Iloafunsi as a woman that practiced Christianity with ‘an open mind.”
The cleric said that she did a lot during her life time to uplift the work of charity and God in the community, in the Church and humanity in general.
“The children must keep her legacy of giving and taking care of people alive and even do more to ensure that the divine blessing mama had attracted into the family keep running,” he said.
In a goodwill message, the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) consoled Assistant Controller of Corrections (ACC) Kelvin Iloafunsi, for the loss of his mother, who had been a source of inspiration to him.
The Zonal Coordinator of NCoS Zone M, Enugu, Assistant Controller-General of Corrections, ACG Prisca Oku, said in a statement, that the NCoS extend its heartfelt condolence to the Iloafunsi family and those related to them.
“Words alone cannot express how sorry we are on the loss of your dearly beloved mother. Please, may you find comfort in the love and support of all of us around you,” Oku said.
Speaking, Rep. Ifeanyichukwu Ibezi, Member Representing Idemili North/South Federal Constituency, prayed God to grant the family the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss.
“May the soul of Mama and all departed faithful find eternal peace, Amen,” Ibezi, who was former Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Tertiary Education and Services, said.
Responding, ACC Kelvin Iloafunsi, who is also the President-General of Amankwo Eke Community, thanked all that stood with the family and contributed to the successful burial of their mother.
“As a family, we appreciate your great contribution and love shown to us.
“May God bless you all with long life as He did bless our mother with. Thank you,” he said.
Jude Ossai (JP) a veteran journalist is a National Diploma holder in Mass Communication from Ogwashi-Uku Polytechnic Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State. He also studied at Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Enugu and Imo State University, Owerri for his first and second degrees in Mass Communication, respectively.
He writes extensively on politics, crime, corruption, climate change, healthcare, human rights, social justice, among others.
He began his journalism career in The Republic Newspaper, Lagos in 1987 as a Special Correspondent in Benin City, Edo State.
In 1990, he was posted from Lagos to old Anambra State as a State Correspondent in Enugu.
In 1994, he joined the African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, Ibadan, Oyo State, Publisher of Nigerian Tribune Newspapers where he rose to the rank of Southeast Bureau Chief.
Retiring from the mainstream traditional media in 2019, he began another journey in online newspaper publication.
He was the Overall Best Reporter in 2015, an award bestowed on him by Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Enugu State.
He has attended several workshops/seminars organised by multi-nationals, government institutions, local and international media including BBC.
He is also a unionist and had held top positions as Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists of Enugu Correspondents’ Chapel and State Council of NUJ, respectively. He was also a one-time Enugu State Secretary of Sports Writers’ Association of Nigeria (SWAN).
